NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, CFL stats



Princeton WhistlePigs

Rays Shine with 7-4 Win in 2016 Opener

June 24, 2016 - Appalachian League (ApL)
Princeton WhistlePigs News Release


The Princeton Rays (1-0) began the 2016 season with a 7-4 opening night victory over the Burlington Royals (0-1) in Burlington, NC on Thursday.

The Rays' dominant offensive lineup saw all but one batter record at least one hit while producing each of the team's seven runs in the first five innings. For the night, Princeton batters logged a total of eleven base hits.

First baseman Bobby Melley led the Rays at the plate going 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles, two runs scored and one walk. Venezuelan right fielder Eleardo Cabrera matched Melley with a 2-for-4 performance in the two-spot adding an RBI and drawing a walk. Centerfielder Emilio Gustave added a 2-for-5 night at the plate as the Rays' cleanup hitter.

Isaac Benard led Princeton with three runs scored in a 1-for-3 plate performance including one double, two RBI and a walk. Designated hitter Jean Ramirez was also 1-for-3 with an RBI and a walk.

University of California-Berkley product Robbie Tenerowicz went 1-for-4 with an RBI matching returning Rays third baseman Blake Butera who set the table for the lineup as Princeton's leadoff man. Adrian Rondon, ranked among the top-50 of Rays prospects by Baseball America, recorded a 1-for-5 night at the plate while scoring two runs and one RBI.

The Rays jumped to a 3-0 lead over Burlington in the top of the second inning when Melley led off with a double to left field then moved to third as Rondon reached second on a fielding error. A wild pitch by Royals starter Cristian Castillo scored Melley leading to an RBI double by Benard to score Rondon. Jean Ramirez drew a walk then advanced to second after another wild pitch by Castillo only to score one batter later on a sacrifice fly to center by Butera.

Princeton extended their lead with a solo run in the fourth as Benard walked to lead off the inning then advanced to second on a single by Butera. Cabrera followed with a two-out, RBI-single to center field before being tagged out at second after a rundown.

The final trio of Rays runs crossed the plate in the top of the fifth inning sparked Melley's second double of the night with two outs on the board. Rondon plated Melley with a single through the box to centerfield. Benard drew a subsequent walk resulting in a Royals pitching change that substituted right-hander Justin Camp for Castillo.

Still with two outs, Ramirez singled off Camp to score Rondon then Tenerowicz followed with another single scoring Benard and giving the Rays a 7-0 lead.

Domincan right-hander and Rays starter Willy Ortiz, 20, breezed through his first four scoreless innings on the mound before the Royals struck with three runs in the home half of the fifth. Ortiz earned the victory with five innings of work including two strikeouts and one walk while limiting Burlington to five hits. Ortiz did not allow the Royals a hit until the home half of the third inning.

Righty Hector Lopez, a native of San Joaquin, Venezuela, followed Ortiz on the mound pitching one and two-thirds innings in relief, allowing one run on just two hits with two walks and a pair of strikeouts. Lopez recorded both strikeouts in his first inning of relief to avenge a wild pitch that allowed a Royals runner to reach second.

Reimin Ramos earned the save as he closed the game for the Rays tossing two and one-third innings, striking out three batters while allowing four hits and walking one. Ramos polished his shutdown of the Royals with a swinging strikeout of Burlington's Logan Gray to record the final out of the game.

The Rays will matchup with the Burlington Royals for the second game of the season opening series in Burlington, NC beginning at 7 PM on Fri., June 24 at Burlington Athletic Stadium.

The Princeton Rays have been the proud Appalachian League affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays since 1997. All questions may be forwarded to the Rays' front office at 304-487-2000 or princetonrays@frontier.com.

Check out the Princeton WhistlePigs Statistics

• Discuss this story on the Appalachian League message board...

Appalachian League Stories from June 24, 2016


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central